We recently entered into an exciting partnership with Melbourne-based Technical and Further Education provider, the Kangan Institute. This mutually beneficial arrangement will provide Kangan apprentices with high-quality Shell-branded products, such as lubricants and greases, and offer valuable access to our industry experts for the training and education of Kangan staff and students.
Learning from the experts
Viva Energy CEO Scott Wyatt described how thrilled he is to partner with the Kangan Institute and train the next generation of Australian automotive and heavy-duty diesel technicians.
“Kangan apprentices will not only have the opportunity to use leading products, but through our partnership, will have direct access to industry experts including support from our lubricants engineers and field based technical staff.
“It’s a chance to help share with students and apprentices of today what we learn from using high-quality Shell products,” Our technical experts have vast experience taking oil samples and can make suggestions on the best oil to use on equipment.”
The arrangement also includes an award for the Shell Rimula Apprentice of the Year with the winner spending a weekend with the Shell V-Power Racing Team in their garage.
Working with world-class oil technology
As the exclusive licensee to the Shell brand in Australia, we are in a unique position to provide Kangan apprentices with premium products. This means students have the opportunity to use the same lubricants that they would use on the job helping them to gain valuable practical experience.
Bendigo Kangan Institute CEO Trevor Schwenke says he is very thankful to Viva Energy and believes the partnership is an excellent opportunity for Kangan students.
“What’s important in partnerships like this is that everything we do is relevant on a day-to-day basis,” Trevor says. “We want to make sure our students are ready and can make it in the real world.”
Supporting the workforce of tomorrow
Partnerships between industry leaders and educational institutes are vital to nurturing future generations of automotive and heavy-duty diesel technicians. As Scott puts it: “The apprentices of today will become the workshop managers of the future.”
A lot of our customers including Fiat Chrysler and Kmart Tyre and Auto also use the TAFE to train their apprentices, and we are committed to initiatives such as these which will ultimately help them. We understand the need for highly trained mechanics in the workforce, and this partnership will help to provide students with the resources and experience they need to excel.
Scott says supporting education institutes such as Kangan at the front end will ultimately help students assimilate in the workforce. “It is imperative that today’s students keep abreast of developments,” he says. “We are confident that our partnership and support will add real value in the classroom and in workshops of the future.”
Viva Energy has a long association with providing apprenticeships with the Geelong refinery being able to support around 12 apprentices across a range of trades each year. The apprenticeships offered at our refinery in Geelong, some in partnership with Northern Futures, provides training opportunities for young people to develop new skills and achieve qualifications in fields such as Mechanical Fitters or Electrician and Instrumentation Technicians. We are proud of our ongoing commitment to providing apprenticeship opportunities as well as this new partnership with Kangan TAFE which helps develop the skills of young apprentices.
Interested in learning more about how Viva Energy supports the community?
Find out more